Wildlife Discoveries

Don't blame the squirrels for chasing off birds

ANNE COMPTON

Published Friday, December 15, 2000

It seems no matter how often others and I cover problems with backyard wildlife, wherever I go I hear the same complaints. At a recent workshop with attendees from all over the United States, I heard many familiar stories -- too many based on misconceptions. So here goes, and forgive the repetition if you've heard any of this before.

Most often heard: ''I've got too many squirrels -- they've caused all my birds to disappear.'' When questioned, the complainers admit to putting out loads of birdseed and expecting squirrels to stand aside to allow ''MY'' favorite birds to feed. First of all, birds and squirrels have lived together in your neighborhood for longer than humans have been there. They've always competed for food: seeds, nuts, fruit, insects and vegetation. And both birds and squirrels have managed to thrive, together.

Under natural circumstances, birds and squirrels forage for food over a larger territory than your yard and direct competition is rare. But put a bird feeder or two out and you change the wildlife dynamics by concentrating a source of food in a narrow space. Don't expect birds and squirrels to suddenly develop a feeding code based on your preferences.

Suddenly, you've got eight or more squirrels traveling across territories to enjoy the bounty you've provided. You're upset because cardinals and other ''pretty'' birds are not there when you want to watch them.

Actually, I've found that squirrels and birds settle into a routine. Cardinals usually show up early, eat and are gone by the time squirrels arrive. Later in the afternoon, doves arrive to enjoy seeds dropped to the ground. At least once a day several blue jays grab a few peanuts and sunflowers and leave the early dusk to another visit by cardinals, which tend to feed much later than other birds.

If birds and squirrels are not coming to your feeders, the problem may be that a hawk is hanging around to check out the menu. If this occurs, simply stop putting out seed for two to three days and when squirrels and birds fail to show up, the hawk will hunt elsewhere.

In fact, do some experimenting of your own. Try putting out moderate amounts of seed at different times of the day. Birds tend to feed earlier than squirrels and then have another feeding period in the late afternoon. Use your feeders as an excuse to make some observations, keeping in mind feeders create an artificial concentration of animals and, therefore, abnormal behaviors.

The best solution is to landscape with native plants that produce nuts, seeds and fruit: oak, hickory, winged sumac, fig and persimmon trees, grapevine and black berry and beauty berry bushes. One spring I sprinkled birdseed on a small plot of bare soil at the edge of a wooded lot, watered, and was rewarded with millet, sunflowers and a surprising array of other seed-bearing plants. Even quail emerged from the woods to peck and scratch in my seed garden.

By adding water sources to the landscape you'll have created a wildlife friendly yard. You may still want to add feeders, but if you vary the type of feeder and seeds to suit specific birds and place several feeders at various points around your yard, you'll be less likely to become a ''backyard tyrant.'' Who needs the stress anyway?

Gail Compton will conduct a workshop on ''Backyard Wildlife Problems and Solutions'' at Southern Horticulture on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information, call 471-0440.